Augmented reality advertising

Augmented reality can be used as part of any advertising or marketing campaign as a way of targeting a particular demographic in order to boost sales or promote a new product.

This article looks at how advertisers use augmented reality to encourage customers to engage with their goods or services before purchase. This can form part of a company’s marketing strategy where the aim is to identify and target a group of customers in order to satisfy their needs. This can also lead to fruitful long term relationships.

Our what is augmented reality marketing? article discusses this in more detail.

Augmented reality marketing campaign

Advertisers are looking at using augmented reality as part of a marketing drive in order to attract new customers as well as retaining existing ones. This means developing an in-depth knowledge about their intended customers; who they are, what they need and why they need it. This means understanding their browsing habits and the triggers for buying.

For example, a young person such as a 19 year old male would be shown images of the latest gadgets or an item of sportswear as they walk through a shopping centre. This is a direct way of appealing to their subconscious needs as well as helping them to choose the right product.

Another example of this is targeted adverts when browsing online. You may be visiting a particular website when a series of carefully targeted ads pop up which display items that you had previously looked at. These are based upon your browsing/buying habits and adopt a personalised approach to marketing.

The same applies to augmented reality advertising only the difference here is that you are shown a series of graphical images overlaid on real world objects. For example, a display board which advertises holidays as you wait at a bus stop or a series of adverts for mobile phones as you look in a shop window.

These images are viewed through a mobile phone or form part of what is known as ‘digital signage’. This signage can be combined with augmented reality to the extent that it is able to recognise an individual customer and shows images based upon their buying habits.

Disadvantages of augmented reality advertising

The problem with that is one of information overload where you the customer are overwhelmed with the number of images shown that you are unable to make a decision. This augmented reality fatigue may work against rather than in favour of advertisers and turn off potential customers.

Another concern is that this information is available for everyone to see which has the potential to be embarrassing as well as putting someone at risk. This is likely to be the case if you have looked at a product which is a bit suspect or offensive.

Advertisers need to weigh up both the pros and cons of augmented reality before proceeding.